A proposed new memory care facility with 72 apartments cleared a hurdle by getting a recommendation from theWauwatosa Plan Commission on Dec. 11.

The zoning change amendment, conditional use permit and request for a land division via certified survey map were recommended to the common council. The next step is to for the council to set a Jan. 16 public hearing.

The $10 million development proposed by Lutheran Home would feature three buildings on West Meinecke Avenue between North Wauwatosa Ave. and North 74th Street, according to plans filed with the city.

The zoning change would be from R2 District (residential with up to two units) to Special Purpose District. The change of zoning is being requested for expansion of the memory care facility

The site has rental homes owned by Lutheran Home, 7500 W. North Ave. Those houses would be razed.

A one-story connector building would be built between the apartment buildings and include a community center for residents. It would also connect the new apartment buildings to the current Lutheran Home building.

The facility would feature a one-story building with 24 living units, and a two-story building with 48 units.

Why memory care is important

Scott McFadden, CEO and president of Lutheran Home, presented stated there is a significant need for memory-care services in the Wauwatosa area, which is driving the organization.

McFadden said Lutheran Home doesn't have a lot of resources and is at the low end of the food chain when it comes to healthcare. The organization researched the idea to make sure memory care were needed and valid.

The new facility would meet growing demand from people who have Alzheimer's disease and dementia. McFadden presented that Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death without a cure or effective treatment.

Wauwatosa resident Barbara Schoenherr complimented Lutheran Home for how it communicated with residents. She stated Lutheran Home provides a good service for the community, which would far outweigh any tax loss.

Wauwatosa Alderman Bobby Pantuso, who was in the audience during the meeting, spoke about the benefit of the proposal, which is located within his district. He recalled his wife having worked there before she started her career in the healthcare field and knew of neighbors who have worked there as well. Pantuso praised what the facility has done for the neighborhood as far as being involved in the community through various events.

Pantuso spoke on behalf of his wife, a registered nurse, over the lack of memory-care services in the city. She has witnessed patients who are supposed to be discharged into a memory care unit and there is not one available.

"The hospital ends up keeping the patient longer than need be or a facility can't handle a patient who needs memory care. There is a critical need for this," Pantuso said.

One person spoke in opposition out of concern for trees which serve as a buffer for his home and the facility would be torn down.

Alderman Joel Tilleson said staff recommended creation of a landscaping plan to address that. He asked for the landscape plan to specifically include the corner on 74th and Meinecke Ave as part of the conditional use permit approval.